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Iran arrested a Korean-flagged chemical tanker in the Gulf on January 4 – Photo: REUTERS
Some Iranian media reported that the IRGC arrested the ship on charges of chemical contamination in the Gulf. The Tasnim news agency said the detained crew members included Korean, Indonesian, Burmese and Vietnamese nationals.
British carrier Ambrey said the Korean-flagged ship, owned by DM Shipping, was leaving the port of the Saudi city of Jubail for Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. It is possible that the ship was captured by Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz.
The chemical tanker is currently detained in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas, but it is unclear how many sailors are there.
The Korean Foreign Ministry confirmed that its chemical tanker was detained by the Iranian authorities in waters off Oman and asked Iran to release it immediately. South Korean forces stationed in the Strait of Hormuz have been dispatched to the area, according to the South Korean Foreign Ministry.
The incident occurred in the context of an upcoming South Korean deputy foreign minister visiting Tehran. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said the visit would take place in the next few days and that the two sides would discuss that Tehran would ask Seoul to pay for frozen oil exports in South Korean bank accounts due to the ban. . American fortunes.
Korea started importing Iranian oil in 2010, the money purchased from the oil was deposited into two Iranian accounts at the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) and the Bank of Woori. However, these two accounts were frozen by the US after reimposing sanctions.
The United States reimposed sanctions on Iran in 2018 after President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 JCPOA International Nuclear Agreement. Tehran called the US sanctions an economic war.
IAEA: Iran to enrich uranium by 20%
